The Bride of Endless Deaths novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“Evelyn, dinner’s ready!”

“Mom made your favorite BBQ ribs tonight,” my mom Margaret called from the kitchen.

“Coming!”

I set my book down on the porch swing, washed my hands, and headed for the table.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked.

“Didn’t you say yesterday you were craving rotisserie chicken from that downtown place?” Mom replied. “He went to pick it up. Wonder what’s keeping him.”

As if on cue, my dad Jonathan’s hearty laugh rang out from the yard.

“I’m back! What smells so good?”

He strode inside, one hand clutching a bag of rotisserie chicken, the other balancing four cups of coffee.

“I was downtown today, and everyone’s raving about this whole ‘first coffee of fall’ thing. Had to stand in a crazy long line for these,” he said with a grin.

Watching my parents beam at each other, I felt warmth bloom in my chest. Every day at home was a gift- safe, cozy, and comforting.

But then I noticed the extra cups.

“Dad… why’d you get four?”

Dad and Mom traded a knowing glance, their smiles quietly conspiratorial.

A moment later, a clear, familiar voice called from the doorway.

“Sorry I’m late, Mr. and Mrs. Hart.”

It was Graham Sterling, my childhood friend.

He’d gone abroad after high school, and years had passed since we’d last met. The chubby boy I remembered had become someone tall, confident, and startlingly handsome.

Ifroze, staring, until Mom tugged at my sleeve.

“Say hi, honey.”

Flustered, I managed a quick greeting. Graham stepped forward, holding out a few elegant designer bags.

“Happy birthday, Evelyn,” he said warmly. “These are for you-one for every year I missed.”

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The glossy packaging screamed French luxury, the kind I had only ever seen on TV.

“Graham, you didn’t have to go all out,” Mom teased lightly. “Why don’t you two catch up this afternoon?

Evelyn, show him around town-he’s been gone so long, he probably doesn’t know his way around

anymore.

She shot me a pointed look. I got the message-my parents were clearly matchmaking.

Well, I thought, I did take his gifts… guess that means I’m stuck.

After dinner, I led Graham on a walk through town. The air was crisp, the streets humming with life. I was

just about to speak when a voice shattered my thoughts-unmistakably the Arcane Pact.

[Contractor, bad news! Julian Blake is breaking through the Contracted Realm to find you in the real world!]

“What? That’s impossible!” I whispered under my breath.

The Arcane Pact let out a weary sigh and recounted everything that had happened since I’d left.

After my departure, Sierra Prescott had taken my place, swapping hearts to become the new Lead Character.

When Julian discovered the truth, he lost his mind.

He kidnapped Sierra, killed her ninety-nine times in a brutal cycle, then locked her in an iron cage, weighed it down with metal blocks, and hurled it into the sea-forcing her to endure death over and over.

When the terrorist group known as the Ashen Order tried to rescue Sierra to unlock the secrets of the Arcane Pact, Julian outplayed them, capturing their operatives.

He didn’t stop there-he stole their entire arsenal and hunted down the people who had once hurt me, chopping them up and feeding them to dogs.

[Julian Blake is terrifying,] the Arcane Pact continued. [He has control of all the virus data now. He’s threatening the Prime Arcane Pact, saying he’ll destroy the Contracted Realm unless they let him come to you.]

I stood rooted to the spot, my mind reeling. Before I left, I had used the Pact’s Power to secure two things: a file revealing the truth, and a binding that stripped Julian Blake of the right to leave the Contracted Realm.

I hadn’t imagined he’d spiral this far-into such madness.

[Contractor, you must stay safe, the Arcane Pact warned before its electronic voice faded.

I snapped back to reality as Graham waved a hand in front of my face.

“Evelyn, you okay?” he asked, concern clouding his features.

But I only stared ahead, my pulse pounding.

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Julian Blake was coming.

He was really here.

Chapter 8

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